Clubs retain the right to negotiate and/or enter into a contract agreement with any of their free agents, regardless of whether an offer was made. There are no deadlines for such negotiations and/or agreements.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a free agent is subject to draft-pick compensation if his former club offers him a guaranteed one-year contract with a salary equal to the average salary of the 125-highest paid players from the prior season.